Swimming appliance



June 24, 1930. J. w. CUTHBERTSON SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed July 5, 1929 YyfrY Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES Aren't FFHCE ARTHUR L.ERIGKSON, OF TUB-LOCK, CALIFORNIA SWIMMING APPLIANCE Application filedJuly 5,

My invention relates to a swimming appliance and has for its principalobject, the provision of a. relatively simple and practical device thatmay be conveniently applied to the calf portions of swimmers legs, forthe purpose of materially aiding the swimmers forward movement throughthe water, or to enable the wearer of the device to easily maintain anupright position by the treading movement of the legs.

Further objects of my invention are, to

provide a swimming appliance that is relatively simple in construction,inexpensive of manufacture, capable of being easily and quickly appliedfor use and which appliance automatically swings into open position forimpingement against the water as the leg to which the device is attachedis moved or kicked rearwardly or downwardly and which deviceautomatically closes or folds against the leg as the same is drawnforwardly or upwardly. With the foregoing and other objects in view, myinvention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described andclaimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a swimming appliance of my improvedconstruction and showing the same applied to the leg for use.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the appliance looking in the directionindicated by v the arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the device with the swingingblades or vanes in open position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the end portion of one of the adjustablestraps utilized in my improved swimming device.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate apractical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a strap or elongatedplate, preferably of thin light sheet metal and the length and shape ofthis strap or plate is such that it will set against the side portion ofthe calf of the leg from a point just below the knee to a point justabove the ankle.

1929. Serial No. 376,225.

Secured in any suitable manner to the upper and lower ends of this plateare flexible straps 11, preferably of woven fabric which may be an inchand one-half or two inches in width and of such length as to encirclethe leg just below the knee and just above the ankle. One end of-eachstrap is folded double, as illustrated in Fig. 4 to form a plurality ofdouble thickness tabs 12, the thicknesses of material being stitched toeach other to form said tabs and each tab has seated therein two or moremetal or composition eyelets 13. The opposite end of each strap isfolded double and seated there in are two or more eyelets 14 and passingthrough the latter and adapted to engage through the eyelets seated inany one of the tabs 12, are flexible ties 14?, preferably tapes ofsuitable length. 1

The'provision of a plurality of the tabs 11 enables the appliance to besnugly fitted upon legs of different sizes. I

Secured in any suitable manner to thelower one of the straps 11, at thepoint where it overlies the lower end of plate 10, is one end of aflexible strap 15, preferably woven fabric, of such length as to passdownwardly on the outside of the foot of the wearer, thence beneaththefoot and thence upwardly against the inner side of the foot and overthe inner portion of the ankle and carried by the upper end of the outerportion of this strap is a suitable tie 16, preferably a tape of suchlength as to be passed once or U twice around the wearers limb justabove the lower one of the straps 11 and this strap and tie areeffective in wearing the lower portion of the appliance in properposition upon the foot and leg.

Connected by suitable loops or hinges 17 to the plate 10 are plates orvanes 18, preferably circular discs of light weight metal and which arearranged to swing from open positions in planes at right angles to theplane occupied by the plate 10 to'closing positions, directly againstand substantially parallel with said plate 10. There are, preferably,three of these vanes and connecting the outer edge of the upper vanewith the corresponding edge of the intermediate vane are smallconnecting members or tie rods 19, preferably wires and in like mannertie rods or wires 20 connect the outer edge of the intermediate platewith the corresponding edge of the lower plate, thus providing means forbringing about simultaneous swinging movement of all of the vanes orplates.

Secured to the outer edge of the lower one of the vanes 18 are the upperends of flexible members 21, preferably light weight chains and thelower ends thereof are connected to the lower corners of the plate orstrap 10.

These chains function as stops to limit the upward swinging movement ofthe vanes 18 and when said chains are extended to their limit the vanes18 occupy positions substantially at right angles to the plane occupiedby plate 10, as illustrated by solid lines in Ill) Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to increase the eifectiveness of the vanes while the same arein use and particularly while impinging the water, said vanes are'shapedso as to produce under faces that are slightly concave.

\Vhen my improved swimming appliance is applied for use the straps 11are, by means of the ties 14, secured around the leg between the kneeand ankle and'stra'p 15 is positioned beneath the foot with the free endof said strap secured around the leg by means of the tie 16.

In the use of the appliance the swimmer draws the lower portion of theleg toward the body and the plates or vanes 18 engaging the water duringsuch movement will automatically swing inward against the plate 10, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 1

and in such position sald plates or vanes will 7 be drawn forwardly withthe leg with practically little or no resistance.

After the leghas been drawn to its limit of movement toward the swimmersbody a quick rearward movement or kick will cause the vanes toautomatically swing outward into open positions at right angles to theplate 10, as illustrated 'by solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and theimpingement of the vanes against the water during this rearward movementw ll materially assist the swimmer in his forwardmovement through thewater. up

By assuming a substantially upright position in the water andalternately moving the legs upwardly and downwardly a swimmer mayretainsuch upright position for an indefinite period of time and by moving thelegs forwardly simultaneous with their upward and downward movements theswimmer may practically walk forward through the water.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an appliance that isrelatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and whichwill materially aid and assist the movements of a swimmer in moving forwardly through the water or while occupying a substantially uprightposition.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved swimming appliance maybe made and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is setforth in the appended claim.

I. claim as my invention:

In a swimming appliance, a plate, a plurality of vanes hinged to saidplate for vertical swinging movement, straps secured to the ends of theplate and adapted to pass around the swimmers leg, one end of each strapbeing folded upon itself and secured so as to provide a plurality oftabs, eyelets seated in said tabs, eyelets seated in the op posite endof the strap and ties adapted to.

pass through said eyelets.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

JAMES w. on'rnnnrrson.

